This invention relates to improvements in devices for safely disposing of used medical needles, and more particularly, to devices which allow for a simple, safe, permanent and cost-effective resheathing of a used medical needle.
Subsequent to withdrawal of a needle from a patient, the tip of a needle, whether associated with a drug injection or fluid collection device, may carry body fluids of the patient. Such a body fluid may be transmitted to the medical user by splashing onto the skin or accidental puncture of the user's skin by the needle. Such transmission may communicate an undesirable disease, associated with the body fluid, to the needle user. The term "user" comprises a medical technician, nurse, doctor, etc.
The occurrences of needle-stick injuries caused by various devices in a university hospital is a significant problem in the medical art. An article in the New England Journal of Medicine, 319:284-288 (Aug. 4, 1988) identifies various characteristics of devices that caused needle-stick injuries in a university hospital over a ten-month period. Of the 326 injuries studied over a ten-month period, it was found that disposable syringes accounted for 35%, intravenous tubing and needle assemblies for 26%, pre-filled cartridge syringes for 12%, winged steel-needle intravenous sets for 7%, phlebotomy needles for 5%, intravenous catheters stylists for 2% and other devices for 13%. The study found that one-third of the needle puncture injuries were related to recapping of a used needle.
The recapping incidents were found to occur in three ways:
1. The needle user missed the original needle cap which caused the needle to stick in the opposing hand of the user;
2. The needle pierced the needle cap during recapping;
3. The cap fell off a recapped needle.
As to this latter problem, a hazard remains after a cap is replaced, because of a variability in the friction fit securing the cap to the needle hub. Accordingly, it is apparent that there is a need in the medical area for effective needle recapping devices. Although various devices have been suggested to address this need, they are relatively complex in structure and use and may not be effective in a medical environment. Moreover, they do not appear to address the safety aspects of recapping the needle and holding the cap in place.
In response thereto, I have developed a needle sheath which easily and safely guides a used medical needle assembly therein and offers a positive friction fit between the needle sheath and needle assembly so as to preclude any undesirable needle puncture and decapping. My holder presents an elongated barrel for enclosing the used needle; an integral hub element for enclosing the hub or base of the needle assembly; an integral cone element for enclosing the distal portion of the fluid collection cylinder of the needle assembly and an integral shield at the top end therein for enclosing a distal portion of the fluid collection tube and for protecting the opposite hand of the user. The shield and cone elements present sloping walls so as to guide the needle into successively downstream elements and ultimately into the barrel so as to preclude undesirable puncture of the needle through the sheath. Concurrently, the various integral elements provide a plurality of friction fits of the holder with the needle assembly to preclude the sheath from falling off the needle subsequent to capping. Accordingly, my device addresses the three problems set forth in the above-identified article.
It is therefore a general object of this invention to provide a sheath for safely enclosing a used medical needle assembly.
Another object of this invention is to provide a sheath, as aforesaid, which safely guides a used medical needle into a protective enclosure.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a sheath, as aforesaid, which encompasses portions of the accompanying needle assembly so as to enhance the recapping of the used needle and preclude undesirable splashing of body fluids.
A more particular object of this invention is to provide a sheath, as aforesaid, which presents structure for providing a plurality of friction fits with the needle assembly.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention.